LOUISE BOURGEOIS: COMPLETE BOOKS & PRINTS

Alternate Title:

Atrocities Witnessed

Descriptive Title:

Woman with Crutch

Themes:

Figures, Objects

Techniques:

Drypoint

Description:

Drypoint, with red ink additions

Support:

Smooth, wove paper

Dimensions:

plate: 7 15/16 x 5 1/4" (20.2 x 13.4 cm); sheet: 11 x 8 1/8" (28 x 20.7 cm)

Signature:

Not signed

Inscription:

Verso: "ATROCITIES.-WITNESSED." center right sheet, black ink, artist's hand.

Publisher:

unpublished

Printer:

Harlan & Weaver, New York

Edition:

1 known impression of state I

Impression:

Not numbered

Edition Information:

Proof before the editioning of state II.

State Changes and Additions:

Additions in red ink: hair, anticipating state II.

Artist’s Remarks:

Inscribed on the verso of the source drawing: “La mère abandonée: exemple Pins him to the ground. / Perfe raison. / Boiteuse Bannister Daguerr. Brace. Breughel. and stick. / go one step back, one step back, another step back. / les mères abondonnées sur la glacier, Rings a Bell. / Bladder / Balustrade Cannes et Béquilles / Banister, walking stick and Brace / Bataille / de la / balustrade / trou du qu / trou d’éfé / Je vais te tuer avec mes béquilles dis le fils à sa mère / tu m'a tenu en béquille gare a toi / Henriette et sa canne / à la soup du salut en face, tout le monde a des / béquilles pour montrer l'escalier de pièrre (Breughel) / Brace and Brassière / fight to the finish”

Curatorial Remarks:

Publisher Harlan & Weaver groups the editioned state of this composition with ten other drypoints of 1999, under the title, “11 Drypoints.” Each of the 11 compositions can be displayed individually. The full set is as follows:
“The Accident”
“The Angry Cat”
“Don’t Put Your Foot in Your Mouth”
“Fear”
“Feet (Socks)”
“Fences Are Obsolete”
“Madeleine”
“Mosquito”
“Mother and Child”
“Please Hang in There”
“The Smell of the Feet”

Bibliography:

Malbert, Roger, and Juliet Mitchell. "Louise Bourgeois: Autobiographical Prints." London: Hayward, 2016. (Catalogue accompanying the touring exhibition "Louise Bourgeois Prints: Autobiographical Series and 11 Drypoints".)

MoMA Credit Line:

Gift of the artist

MoMA Accession Number:

932.2008

© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY